Righting Wrongs - deck hatch, and sealing holes in the deck?

#1

My boat has many little idiosyncracies. Here are a couple of things that the original owner did that need to be corrected. Any advice or random thoughts are appreciated. I also hope that Jay, John, and Beven as mfrs may have a thought or two...

There is no foam in my boat. At first this bugged me beacuse that is a Pacific/BlackLab trait, but I am now OK with that if I can be sure that my deck is watertight. I have a 23X13 hatch directly in front of my forward bait tank.

The hatch is aluminum, but is not water or air tight. I would like that hatch to be secure and rather than sealing it off permantly, I think that I just want to find an option that gives me access to the area below deck, but would be sealed in the event that water finds a way to flow into the vast area below deck. Should I think to weld in a new piece of decking and put in a new large aluminum flush hatch? I wonder what kind of cost I will be dealing with for that?

Second thing:
The original owner had drilled about 18 little holes in the deck inside the front hatch below the casting deck.

Why he did this...I don't know

, BUT I do want to seal them up and make them water/air tight from above and below in the event that the hull ever gets compromised. Is this a job for 5200? or spot weld? or something else?

Thanks very much for any and all advice.

Bob5292 · #2

That hatch is odd and I wonder what the idea behind it was. Looks like a stubbed toe or worse wating to happen. I think whatever you chose to do, it should be flush. Take a look at the Armstrong deck plate.

Bob

#3

Hello S L Dave, Have you talked to Kenny? I am going over on Tuesday for boat maintenance. Have Kenny talk to Pacifics engineers. They can come up with suggestions. Kenny also knows an excellent welder. I have personally have seen his work and it is on par with Pacifics welds.

It is all aluminum and can be fixed up to your specifications. You made such a great deal on the "Triple D" some tweaking costs unfortunately are bound to happen but of course not wanted.

I even think that foam can be added.

Your boat has a bilge pump??????? Riiiiiiiiight

If you want to meet up and go to Tradewinds that is doable.

Mark

#4

Hi Dave,
I bet all those small holes are for draining water out. You can plug them by threading them and install a screw in the tapped hole.
Ahh, after looking closer at the pictures, it looks like those holes used to bolt something down.

BTW, you have a very clean looking bilge. It looks as if it's never seen any water.

Scott

#5

Dave, what in2deep said on the holes. Depending on the size I would either tap them (if not already tapped) and either install a small set screw or a small aluminum pipe plug like a 1/6 NPT.........

http://www.youtube.com/user/BLM26CC · #6

S.L. Dave

Let's look at this another way.......

The guy who had it wasn't thinking common sense. The boats I feel come with what they come with for a reason, I believe.

First, the boat has to louder than mine is.....has to be.
Screws, bolts, 5200, all are "backyard engineering" proceedures.
I'd do everything as as possible right.

close up all holes via welding.

Figure out the most useful purposes for say that hatch...and use it for storage. I'd like to have a spot like that to put stuff. Maybe take the inside of the hatch and coat it with a grey bedliner material so stuff doesn't rattle around in there. But maybe a nicer hatch (flush) could go in place of that one. A total water tight hatch. A nice bronze compression hatch....even if modifications need to made(??)

If it's financially do-able and feasible, have the deck foamed in where it won't disturb the hoses and wiring whatever for the livewell plumbing. Maybe re-run all that in a PVC chase pipe, then have the whole underdeck foamed in. For piece of mind and mostly sound deadening.

It's obviously bothering you....especially if you're talking life rafts offshore, too.

Rewire whatever is questionable, like a pro, or have a pro re-wire. Soldered connections, marine heat shrink, Ancor wire, Like Pete from Brisbane did....

I'd love to see more photos of the deck layout, and the rest of the need to have or have not... Shark fishing differences(??).

Without breaking the bank, I'd make a "wish list" and by each "wish" investigate the cost, and do whatever according to the cost with the goal of making it like what comes out the factory today, and use what you can and want to keep.

IMO.....we all know what they are like.

#7

Before welding to the floor please realize that the bilge below may or may not contain fumes from your fuel tank.............. Check with Jay or Pacific before pouring the flames to it for the proper venting technique

#8

Dave, I will get some overhead pics this weekend when she is in the water.

Alloy, there is a blower installed to deal with fumes below deck and several other round hatches that will let any fumes escape before and flame gets near. Good thing to remember though.

Yeah Scott...it looks clean down below...even with that giant hatch!!

Mark, I can't make it tomorrow. I go over on the 31st. You are ofcourse welcome to come by and check out the boat at Kennys.

I am thinking about this Baier 15 X 24 compression hatch to replace existing opening.

http://www.go2marine.com/product.do?no=91990F

Not cheap!

#9

SL Dave, I LOVE those hatches!!!!

#10

Hey S L Dave probably see you on the water this weekend. I will PM you............ on second thought Go to the "MEET AND GREET" area.

WOW!!!!!! I am picturing that beautiful 24"x 15" hatch. whatcha gonna stick in that thing?

Take care my friend.
Mark

#11

I could put almost anything down there.
There is lot's of space to store stuff.

These boats are really amazing below deck. Kenny and Jay should bring one to boat shows before the deck is welded on.

capeannfisherman · #12

So much space down there for storage, fish box, etc. the possibilities are endless.

#13

capeannfisherman wrote:So much space down there for storage, fish box, etc. the possibilities are endless.

You know...Les mentioned a storage box...but I hadn't thought about a fish box!!!!!. I already have a built in drain tube that runs the length of the boat and drains out the transom. The anchor box and both bait tanks drain into it.

I could build a huge coffin like insulated fish box that taps into the drain.

Great idea!

Ironwood Boats · #14

Deck hatches are always a both.

The nice thing with the hatch is that it has a coming around it.

The bad thing is that it has a coming around it.

If you want to open a hatch up while fishing having a coming around it will prevent water from entering the hull but then it ends up as a trip hazard.

Baier / Freeman aluminum hatches are excellent but they have a counter sunk lip around them that allow water/slime to build up. When you open the hatch everything in the lip falls into the opening.

Unless it a compartment sealed off from the hull or an area you can wash really well you may not want to get any fish down there.

You could make the hatch weather proof by changing the hinges so the gasket is continuous and installing a better latch.